


Turn Up The Heat

by AliceSchuyler



Series: Keeping It Together [9]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Carlos loves TK, M/M, Seizures, Sickfic, TK loves Carlos, Whump, heatstroke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:41:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29238504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AliceSchuyler/pseuds/AliceSchuyler
Summary: TK didn't know how to cope when he's triggered at a scene. So he does the only thing he know how to do well - he runs.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Series: Keeping It Together [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2132163
Comments: 9
Kudos: 144





	Turn Up The Heat

**Author's Note:**

> This was a hard one to write - I'm going through some emotional feels myself at the moment, and this one was really close to home for me. Everyone look after yourselves, TW and CW for some themes relating to emotional abuse.

“TK, I really don’t think you shou-”

“Carlos, I need to go out. I need to go for a run, need to burn off some of this energy. I feel like I’m going out of my mind,” answered TK, cutting off Carlos. He pulled his sneakers on, tying the laces up viciously, looking fidgety and nervous. Carlos sighed, knowing the Captain had called him here mid shift to try and talk TK down from whatever mental ledge he was on. ‘Sensory Overload’ Owen had called it, saying that something had triggered TK at the last job, and he was irritable, restless, and was coming across like he was a five year old hyped up on sugar, the leg twitching a testament to just how wound up he was.

“Don’t fucking sigh at me,” barked TK. Carlos held up his hands placatingly, taking a step back.

“At least make sure you take some water, it’s over 104 out there,” said Carlos easily, trying not to take offence at the new, agitated version of TK. TK shot him a withering look before putting in his wireless ear buds and jogging out the door. Carlos relaxed, slumping his shoulders, before trekking up the stairs to Captain Strand’s office. He knocked on the door frame, leaning against it.

“Didn’t work?” asked Owen. Carlos shook his head.

“He’s still going out on his run, heaven knows why. It’s over 104 out there, he’s going to end up with heatstroke,” said Carlos.

“He knows what he’s doing, he’ll be fine. I’m sorry to drag you down here mid shift though, I honestly thought he’d listen to you. He already tried to take Judd’s head off, and he’s refusing to tell anyone what’s going on,” replied Owen sadly.

“I’ve got to head back to the station, but if anything changes, let me know,” said Carlos. Owen waved farewell, and Carlos jogged down the stairs, out to his patrol car, sliding into the front seat. He’d only been inside for fifteen minutes, tops, and already the inside of his vehicle was like a furnace. He hated to think about TK in the heat, running of all things, but had to trust him; TK was an adult, and if he wasn’t going to talk about what was going through his head, Carlos wasn’t going to push the issue. Not yet, anyway. Maybe after he’d calmed down himself and finished his paperwork. He glanced at his watch, realising if he finished his paperwork fast enough he might be able to duck off shift early to go and see TK. He drove back carefully, glancing for any sign of TK, before pulling in at the station. He resigned himself to an afternoon of absently doing paperwork while fretting about TK.

* * *

TK had music blasting in his ears, _Pressure_ by Muse cranking through the tiny ear buds, the playlist set to random. His feet pounded the pavement, his shirt already drenched in sweat, ignoring the heat of the sun on his back and neck.

_Mitchell was in Texas._

Of all the fucking places to be, Mitchell had split from Alex, and was located in Texas with his own partner, some stick thin guy that still made TK think of Alex, despite the fact he clearly wasn’t. He’d spotted him straight away at the last callout, his mind throwing all sorts of possibilities at him, overloading his ability to think straight. He fumbled the rest of the job, while Mitchell hovered, recognising who TK was; TK had taken the same spin classes Alex had when they were in New York.

_How dare he lay a hand on TK_.

He’d tried to apologise, laid a heavy hand on TK’s arm, to say he didn’t realise Alex was in a steady relationship with TK, and if he’d known he wouldn’t have pursued him, but TK knew it was a hollow lie. Of course Mitchell knew, he’d seen them together every week in the same class, joking together, chaste kisses, nudging each other and constantly touching each other.

_Alex wasn’t big on public displays of affection_.

TK could see why now, because it allowed him to confuse, to obfuscate others, to bend the truth to what he needed it to be in order to get what he wanted. TK was always craving touch, but Alex had explained he didn’t like it, preferred to keep it at home, where he would happily let his hands roam across TK’s body, taking what he needed and leaving TK a thin skeleton, almost malnourished for emotional attention. The song changed, _Map of the Problematique_ by Muse again, and TK started to feel like maybe he was the problem, because all roads in this twisted tale were traced back to him.

_Maybe it was all his fault that Alex turned to someone else._

He shook his head, try to get that thought out of his head, and felt himself stumble on the path, legs skittering out from underneath him as he tripped. His knees took the brunt of the fall, aching and scraped, the right one actively bleeding down his leg, the other just covered in angry red skin. TK dusted himself off, pulling himself to his feet and continuing his run, ignoring the fact his skin was starting to feel tight, and he was so warm.

_Maybe he wasn’t good enough. For anyone._

He wasn’t attentive enough, always spending time at the fire station with his dad and crew, and when he was off shift he was exhausted, bone deep weariness that dragged him down until he’d slept for a solid twelve hours. Alex had always complained that TK wasn’t there for him the way he was, so TK started to push through the exhaustion to go to spin classes, to spend more time with Alex. And yet, he’d been so blind he didn’t even see the blossoming relationship between Mitchell and Alex, the little touches, the flirtatious comments, the little off handed glances that TK had resolutely refused to acknowledge, only wanting to believe that Alex had eyes only for him.

_What if Carlos felt the same way?_

What if he and Carlos were barrelling down the same path that he and Alex had travelled before, and Carlos was really just stringing TK along, didn’t really enjoy spending time with him, and just wanted a series of hookups, just to enjoy the sex? TK pushed himself harder, feet slapping the pavement, blood rushing through his ears, breathing heavy, covering the miles easily as the song morphed into _In My Blood_ by The Veronicas, and then into _Vampires_ by The Midnight. He continued running, barely glancing up at his surroundings, losing himself in the music and the rhythm of running, the burn of the muscles in his legs, the air sharp in his lungs. 

_But Carlos was different._

Alex had never showed up at the station, flat refusing to meet any of the people that he was close to, and he resented TK for spending more time than necessary at the station when he could have been spending that time with Alex. Carlos had integrated himself with the station family, ensuring his shifts were changed so he could be home when TK was home, to ensure TK was fed, to ensure TK’s happiness, not his own. There was still that niggling fear of the honeymoon phase wearing off, of Carlos admitting that he was no longer as invested as TK was, and that terrified TK more than anything. The song changed again, _Enjoy The Silence_ by Anberlin blaring through his head. He slowed down, bending over his knees, feeling like he was on the verge of an anxiety attack, skin tight, head thumping almost in time with the music. He glanced up, looking at the street, watching as it swam in front of his eyes, unable to focus on anything in particular.

_He needed Carlos now._

He tried to get a bearing on where he was in Austin, having not paid attention to where he’d been running. He stumbled down the street, desperate to find shade or even water before he found himself in front of Austin PD. He staggered into the blasting aircon in the reception, making his way determinedly to the front desk. Hunter was on the front desk today, and recognised TK immediately, jumping to his feet. 

“I need Carlos,” TK thought he said, though he wasn’t sure if his tongue was even working properly, feeling like it didn’t fit in his mouth anymore. His legs certainly didn’t feel like they worked, and the floor seemed like a much better option than standing. He felt hands catch him, lowering him to the cold tile floor gently, before Carlos’ face appeared in his field of vision. “’Los,” he said weakly, and he felt Carlos’ hand against his cheek, leaning into the familiar touch.

“TK, what did you do?” asked Carlos. TK hummed, unable to think past the fact that this might be the last time Carlos touched him, not wanting him to pull away.

_Carlos would be so mad, just like Alex had been when he’d overdone it in the past._

“TK? Can you speak?” TK tried, he honestly did, but his mouth just wouldn’t cooperate.

“You can move him to the break room. Hannah’s just set up a low stretcher for you, and then we’re going to get onto dispatch, see if we can get an EMS unit here to help out,” suggested Hunter. Carlos nodded, and between himself and Hunter, they lifted TK to his feet, like a puppet with his strings cut. A young female officer manned the front desk as they walked past, TK’s legs barely able to assist them. The break room was just around the corner from the main desk, and Carlos pushed open the door with his foot, easing TK inside, Hunter just behind him. He deposited him on the canvas stretcher, TK whining at the loss of Carlos’ touch.

“Can you grab the first aid kit for me please?” asked Carlos quietly. Hunter nodded, leaving the room and returning a moment later with the requested kit, departing after handing it to Carlos. Carlos flipped it open easily, pulling out the thermometer first, aiming the infrared reader at TK’s forehead. When it beeped a moment later, Carlos dropped it back into the kit, swearing under his breath. “God TK, don’t do anything by halves, do you.” He stood up, pulling open the door, and motioning for Hannah to join him.

“God, Carlos, is he okay?” asked Hannah, entering the room and pulling the door closed.

“I need you to ring dispatch, tell them that we have a hyperthermic patient, temp over 104, will require medical assistance as soon as possible, okay? 26 year old male, let dispatch know it’s TK Strand from the 126,” explained Carlos. He pulled four gel icepacks from the freezer, placing them on the nearby table. He manhandled TK to a seated position, feeling the heat radiating off his skin, and slipped his t-shirt off over his head, discarding it on the floor. He noticed the angry sunburn across the back of TK’s neck, signs of the summer heat outside. He unlaced his sneakers, slipping them off and pulling off the socks after that, before stripping off his torn sweatpants, ignoring the cuts and scrapes on TK’s knees, not even thinking about TK’s dignity. Carlos grabbed the icepacks off the table, tucking one under each armpit, and the other two on TK’s groin area. TK whimpered at the cold flushing through his system, and Hannah handed Carlos a damp cloth.

“Grace says to wipe him down, get some fluids on his skin. If that doesn’t work we move him to the showers and stick him under a cold shower until EMS can get here,” said Hannah. Carlos put his hand out for the phone, and Hannah passed it to him wordlessly.

“Grace?”

“Carlos, what did he do this time?” asked Grace.

“Went running in 104 heat, no water, no sun protection. He’s been gone for hours, based on the fact his phone is running flat. He doesn’t seem to be improving with the icepacks and water on the skin, he’s still not responsive,” said Carlos, concerned that his boyfriend was practically comatose.

“The 126 are on the way, I’ve briefed Captain Vega and Captain Strand. They’re just being relieved by the 121 at the job they were on so they can get to you, it might be another fifteen minutes,” said Grace calmly. Carlos switched her to speaker, handing the phone back to Hannah.

“He’s not cooling down, should I move him to the showers?” asked Carlos.

“Immersion therapy is best if the gel packs and wet cloths aren’t working,” replied Grace. Carlos scooped TK up, already overwhelmed with how warm he was just in his arms, and walked off to the showers, Hannah following him. He pushed through the door, finding the first available stall and setting TK down on unsteady legs. He pulled off his radio and gun, handing them to Hannah, before turning the shower on full. TK moaned as the water hit his skin, licking his lips a little as water cascaded down his face, blood from his legs turning the water an eerie pink before it gurgled down the drain.

“Can he drink Grace?”

“Of course, but little sips, and fair warning, he may just throw up instead,” warned Grace. Hannah handed him a water bottle.

“TK, you need to take little sips for me, can you do that?” asked Carlos gently. TK nodded, and Carlos lifted the water bottle to his lips. TK took a small sip before pushing it away, shaking his head.

“I’m sorry ‘Los,” he slurred, resting his head on Carlos’ shoulder.

“Sorry for what TK? You didn’t do anything wrong,” replied Carlos easily. TK responded by throwing up down the front of Carlos’ shirt, and Carlos grimaced. Hannah was watching on, and pulled off her own gun and radio, dumping the equipment on the bathroom bench.

“Grace, he’s thrown up, is there anything we can do?” asked Hannah. She slid into the shower next to TK, bracing him so Carlos could peel off his own vomit soaked shirt. All three of them were drenched within minutes, TK looking red, swollen and immensely unwell, Carlos disregarding the fact that he himself was now shirtless in front of a colleague.

“There’s not much you can do, except console him,” she replied, voice echoing through the bathroom. “The 126 have updated their ETA to five minutes, so you’ll have some help shortly,” advised Grace. TK stiffened in Hannah’s arms, head thrown back and hitting her in the face as he started seizing, his body overwhelmed with the extreme heat. Hannah’s nose started bleeding down the front of her uniform, but she ignored it in favour of helping Carlos lower TK to the floor in the recovery position, leaning behind her a moment later to turn off the shower.

“He’s seizing Grace,” said Carlos, his own heart feeling the same as he watched TK’s body struggle, back bowed, eyes rolled into the back of his head, hands curled and tight, every muscle clenching and unclenching at the same time.

“Timing it. Let me know if he stops or if something changes. Do you have him in the recovery position?” asked Grace, and for a moment Carlos thought he could detect a hint of fear in her voice.

“Yes. Please tell me the 126 are nearby,” he pleaded.

“Carlos?” He heard Judd’s voice before he saw him, and next thing he knew, he and Hannah were being muscled out of the space, Tommy, Jack and Nancy stepping in around him, Judd holding Carlos back, Paul on the phone to Grace.

“Marjan, take a look at the officer there please,” ordered Owen.

“I’m so sorry,” choked Carlos.

“It’s not your fault son, I know it’s not,” replied Owen. Carlos watched on, feeling lost and confused as Nancy and Jack rolled TK on to a spine board, the seizure having eased. They had an IV inserted in his arm, pushing fluids through, and icepacks wedged in his armpits and groin. He was strapped to the board so they could carry him out, Mateo stepping in to help lift the board out of the shower stall.

“We’re going to the hospital now. We can take that young officer with us if you would like?” suggested Tommy. Hannah shook her head, seeing stars.

“No ma’am, you worry about TK there. I’m fine,” said Hannah thickly. Carlos threw her a grateful glance, and moved to follow the team out to the ambulance.

“Not you buddy. I know you want to go with TK, but Tommy, Nancy and Jack will need room to work, and I promise you, I will get you to him,” said Owen. Carlos nodded, and allowed Judd to lead him from the bathroom, aware he looked like a complete wreck, his hair plastered over his face and water dripping down his neck, still shirtless. He silently walked to his desk, picking up his backpack and walking out the door. He stood outside, unsure of where to go, or how he was going anywhere, sure he wouldn’t be driving his Camaro home today. Paul laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, handing him an AFD shirt. He pulled it over his head, before allowing himself to be led to the fire engine, Judd making sure he got in safely. Marjan sat on the other side of him, securing a headset on him, then holding his hand as they started moving.

“What happened?” asked Owen.

“He just showed up at the police station. Collapsed on the floor of the reception. We moved him to the breakroom to try and cool him down with the gel packs we keep in the freezer, but he just didn’t seem to be coming down, so Grace suggested dumping him in the shower, so we did. You guys showed up after he started seizing. Will… will he be okay?” he asked. Marjan gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

“He’s in the best hands right now,” she promised. Carlos didn’t even notice when they stopped at the 126 station, disembarking from the engine. Paul directed him upstairs, to take a shower, shoving him into the cubicle. Carlos let the water run down his back, mind suspiciously blank.

“It’s called shock,” said Paul, startling Carlos. He was leaning against the bathroom sinks, arms crossed.

“What?”

“The reason why you’re finding it hard right now to think about what you’re doing? You’re in shock,” explained Paul gently. Carlos turned off the shower, taking the towel that Paul handed him, not even worried that he was essentially naked in front of Paul.

_Right now, he had no cares in the world except for TK._

He dried off, taking the offered clothes and pulling them on, looking at Paul once he was clothed.

“Why aren’t we going to the hospital?” asked Carlos.

“We’re giving them some space to work, and we were concerned about you. You looked like you were about to fall over in there, and you’re one of us, we look after our own,” answered Paul.

“We’re going to take you down now. Grace is already down there, keeping us all up to date,” said Judd, waving his phone to reiterate his point.

“Can we go now?”

“Course, come on.” Carlos followed Judd downstairs after Paul pressed his phone into his hand, and into Judd’s huge pickup truck. He fiddled with his phone on the way to the hospital, desperate to do something while they were in the car, the silence deafening.

“He love you, you know that, right?” said Judd.

“I think so? When he does stupid things like this though, it makes me wonder. He pushed me away today, determined to work out until he couldn’t anymore. I don’t know why he won’t talk to me when things happen. He wants me to open up to him, but he keeps hiding things from me, and I don’t know how to make him understand that I’m not going anywhere, and that I won’t be upset when he wants to open up,” said Carlos, looking out the window, feeling out of place in the AFD shirt he was wearing.

“Have you tried telling him that? Sometimes TK can be a little… thick. You might need to just tell it to him straight,” suggested Judd. He pulled into the carpark, killing the engine. “That boy loves you Carlos, but he’s been burned before. Just talk to him.” Carlos jumped down from Judd’s truck, following him inside and through the maze of corridors to find Grace, and consequently, TK. Carlos briefly thought that he should probably know where most things were in the hospital now given his and TK’s propensity for ending up there. Grace was standing in the doorway of a room, talking carefully and calmly. As Carlos and Judd got closer they could hear TK arguing, but Carlos wasn’t exactly sure why.

“Awh, hell no,” said Judd, quickening his pace.

“I need to see him, why aren’t you letting me see him?” shouted TK, voice hoarse. Grace looked relieved to see Judd and Carlos appear.

“He’s here TK, I told you I wasn’t keeping him from you,” said Grace, trying to be reassuring. Carlos stepped inside the room, hands up, looking as meek as possible. TK stopped fighting the two nurses in his room, finally allowing them to help him.

“Oh. You’re here,” breathed TK, finally relaxing back on the pillows, still looking ridiculously pink.

“He thought we were keeping you from him. The doctors think it’s because of the heatstroke, and the fact you weren’t here when he woke up,” explained Grace under her breath. Carlos nodded, stepping across the room, the two nurses looking worse for wear.

“Hey _corazón_ , you’re okay. Can you let the nurses help you?” asked Carlos gently. TK nodded, and the nurses both breathed a sigh of relief, resecuring his IV lines, and placing the ice packs around him again. He shivered, looking at Carlos pitifully.

“I’m cold,” he whined.

“I know, but you need to breathe through it, okay? You messed yourself up pretty good,” said Carlos, running a gentle hand through TK’s hair. One of the nurses moved to patch up TK’s scraped up knee, cleaning it with antiseptic before covering it with clean white gauze.

“Alright Tyler, you’re all cleaned up, just hang tight and the doctor will be back around to see you soon,” said the nurse, leaving the room. Her companion followed her shortly after, leaving TK to gaze up at Carlos.

“’m sorry,” he whispered.

“For what?” asked Carlos. He was determined not to be mad at TK, but his fuse was remarkable short. TK curled in on himself, apparently sensing Carlos’ short temper.

“For not being perfect,” he mumbled. Carlos rubbed a hand down his face, and looked at TK again, trying to understand what was going on.

“Wh- Ho- What… what even prompted today TK? I’ve been trying to understand what had you so flipped out when I saw you at lunchtime, enough that you thought it would be okay to tell me not to sigh at you,” started Carlos, rubbing his temple with his fingertips. TK closed his eyes, looking like he was going to either throw up or pass out.

“Alex,” he whispered.

“Alex?” Carlos felt like he’d been spun around on the spot, so confused how Alex brought them to an intense case of heatstroke.

“The job we went to today? Mitchell was there,” started TK.

“Mitchell?”

“The spin class instructor.” TK was looking paler, less shades of red and pink around the edges.

_The puzzle pieces finally started to fall into place._

“He tried to apologise. Said he didn’t know that Alex was in a relationship with me, and if he’d known, he wouldn’t have gone after him. He knew though,” whimpered TK. Carlos bowed his head, wishing he’d somehow been able to prevent all this hurt still residing in TK.

“Which triggered your mood for the rest of the shift,” replied Carlos, finally understanding what had unravelled TK. He took a seat next to TK’s bed, catching TK’s sunwarm hand in Carlos’ cooler, larger one.

“And then it got me thinking, what if the same thing is really happening here, and you’re not really in this for us, you’re in this for yourself, for someone to warm your bed, that maybe the honeymoon feel will wear off, and you’ll tell me you don’t love me, or I’ll find out it’s not real,” added TK, eyes starting to tear up.

“Oh, _cariño_ , that’s not true, I can promise you that. I love you so much that it scares me, but I want to be there for every moment, for you every time you need me. I promise to be here for you, no matter what. But I can’t if you keep pushing me away like this, trying to hide the truth from me. You were in sensory overload today, triggered at that scene, and you nearly killed yourself today when you decided to go for a run in 106 degree heat. I’m just… _aliviado_ that you somehow got it through your thick skull to make it back to APD for help, otherwise this could have gone so much worse,” said Carlos firmly. TK cracked open his eyes, realising how wrecked Carlos actually looked.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t… I didn’t even know how to admit to myself that this had messed me up,” said TK quietly.

“I’m here for you no matter what TK, through the good times and the bad. But you need to talk to me, TK, otherwise I can’t be there for you.” TK nodded, and then smirked a little. “What?” asked Carlos, smiling at him. TK reached across, tugging on Carlos’ shirt.

“Knew I’d get you in an AFD shirt eventually,” he giggled. Carlos leaned across, kissing him on the forehead, love and adoration on his face as he looked down at his beloved.

“Next time just ask. Don’t go getting yourself a case of heatstroke just to see me in one of your shirts.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on tumblr and harass me to write more - @AliceSchuyler


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